when I can give her every comfort by
just playing the man for a year or two." He then told Lady Cicely there
were more reasons than he chose to mention: go he must, and would; and
he implored her not to let the affair drop. In short, he was sad but
resolved, and she found she must go on with it, or break faith with him.
She took her desk, and wrote a letter concluding the bargain for him.
She stipulated for half the year's fee in advance. She read Dr. Staines
the letter.

"You ARE a friend!" said he. "I should never have ventured on that; it
will be a godsend to my poor Rosa. You will be kind to her when I am
gone?"

"I will."

"So will Uncle Philip, I think. I will see him before I go, and shake
hands. He has been a good friend to me; but he was too hard upon HER;
and I could not stand that."

Then he thanked and blessed her again, with the tears in his eyes, and
left her more disturbed and tearful than she had ever been since she
grew to woman. "O cruel poverty!" she thought, "that such a man should
be torn from his home, and thank me for doing it--all for a little
money--and here are we poor commonplace creatures rolling in it."

Staines hurried home, and told his wife. She clung to him convulsively,
and wept bitterly; but she made no direct attempt to shake his
resolution; she saw, by his iron look, that she could only afflict, not
turn him.

Next day came Lady Cicely to see her. Lady Cicely was very uneasy in her
mind, and wanted to know whether Rosa was reconciled to the separation.

Rosa received her with a forced politeness and an icy coldness that
petrified her. She could not stay long in face of such a reception. At
parting, she said, sadly, "You look on me as an enemy."

"What else can you expect, when you part my husband and me?" said Rosa,
with quiet sternness.

"I meant well," said Lady Cicely sorrowfully; "but I wish I had never
interfered."

"So do I," and she began to cry.

Lady Cicely made no answer. She went quietly away, hanging her head
sadly.

Rosa was unjust, but she was not rude nor vulgar; and Lady Cicely's
temper was so well governed that it never blinded her heart. She
withdrew, but without the least idea of quarrelling with her afflicted
friend, or abandoning her. She went quietly home, and wrote to Lady
----, to say that she should be glad to receive Dr. Staines's advance
as soon as convenient, since Mrs. Staines would have to make fresh
arrangements, and the money might be